Cycling UK Forum

Any recommendations?

The train?

+2 for the train.
Or
Harry Potters invisibility cloak, then hard shoulder M56

Or;
1 Stockport out through Cheadle, onto A34 wilmslow bypass then onto the Alderley Edge extension, use the cycleway its good and clean, take the first exit off, up the ramp and turn right,(A535) through to Holmes Chapel. into town center right then left to Middlewhich, Winsford A54. (the section between the M6 and Middwich is a bit narrow and there are a few HGV's knocking about) Winsford to Delamere junction left past Kellsall stay on A54 good down hill bit here surface is a bit rough but last time I went down there it was clear of pot holes (about 2/3 months ago). Straight on at Tarvin roundabout A51 into Chester. About 45 miles from Stockport.

2 Stockport out through Cheadle but stay on the A560 through Gatley, Wythenshawe, towards Altrincham, over the railway bridge at the Cresta Court turn left and follow A556 through pick up A 54 at Delamere then as above. virtualy same distance.

3 Stockport to Altrincham as above, but take the B5160 towards Lymm (on right as you leave Altrincham) A56 Grappenhall Frodsham, Helsby, Mickle Trafford into Chester. and again virtualy same distance.

All roads will be busy but I think you allready appreciate that! Personaly if it was me I'd take option 2 although I've never tried it that way in rush hour!!

Just on the outskirts of Middlewich as you aproach there is a Little chef for a quick brew , or option 2 at Hartford there is a transport cafe but I don't know what time it closes.



Hope that helps

Malc

just edited with a ps Which part of Stockport?

Hi FW, those are the sort of routes I had thought of but could not imagine riding them at rush hour and certainly not regularly because of traffic ( and I ride the A6 out of Preston on a regular basis). While slightly tongue in cheek it is why I suggested the train lol

Eileithyia, I agree, I think that Chesterbull has that in mind as "Rush hour" was mentioned, probably the worst bits will be from Altrincham towards the M56 Bowden roundabout and the M6 roundabout just outside Knutsford as traffic will be heading for these two. The Holmes Chapel route can be busy too, with traffic heading for the M6 and there are a couple or three hills to negotiate especialy the one up to Holmes Chaple by the viaduct! probably the worst bit of road will be the section between the M6 and Middlwich it's narrow and used by HGV's, I think there is a storage warehouse nearby, but assuming start Stockport 5pm it's a good hours run to Holmes chapel from there so it might have quietend down a bit.

Malc

I know only too well how narrow some of those roads are and how busy having ridden them quite regularly, and done a lot of the Audaxes that radiate out of south manchester in that direction, usually as mid-week perms! I'm no shrinking violet when it comes to traffic but just imagine that riding those roads when busy would drive me crazy!

On a senisble note would probably look at train part way ie, get away from the city and find somewhere more interesting to start cycling from ie Delamere Forest.

Thanks for the routes Malc. I'm near Stockport College on the A6.

Its just a thought to cycle home one night after work. I've train commuted as well so a part cycle part train trip is another option.

head towards wilmslow.....then up to knutsford.....then byley to middlewich.A54 to winsford up to chester

I've finally got around to doing this, and tried it for the first time last week. Went from Stockport to Bramhall then got lost after Woodford and ended up in Prestbury....twice....then Chelford, Middlewich and with darkness approaching a dash to Knutsford station for the train home. Traffic not as bad as thought, although needed to be quite defensive. Will try it again.

If you come out of Stockport via Greek St to the roundabout take the second exit and run down to Cheadle Heath straight across at Morissons roundabout then left at the next set of lights this puts you onto the A560 It's not a bad road I use it twice a day. At the moment there are road works on the south bound exit off the M60 J3 and traffic is backing up through Cheadle so it does tend to slow you down ( well it does me as I wont use the tunnel of doom down the inside)

Malc

I've ridden http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1062206 a couple of times when I need to go to Decathlon on the way to meet Mrs Pig for a lift home. I get to Worsley at 5PM so I suppose most of the ride is outside rush hour but I don't find the traffic too bad. Just peel off after Helsby for Chester on the A56, which is pretty quiet as most traffic stays on the M56.